American Pie - explained

[Mumbleypeg]

People have long debated the meaning behind Don McLean’s musical classic American Pie. Here is a link to a video that does a pretty fair job of putting meaning (in pictures) to the song’s lyrics. Hope the video works for you - I couldn’t find it on YouTube and couldn’t figure out how to post it otherwise than copying the link.

https://rumble.com/v28eixk-american-pie ... -lope.html

BTW McLean himself has been vague about the meaning of the lyrics. Once when asked what the song means, he said “It means I never have to work again”. I’ve read he gets $400,000 annually from the song’s royalties alone.

Ken

[1967redrider]

I've always thought it to be a tribute song to those lost in the Buddy Holley plane crash. Buddy was just one of the lost talents of that ill-fated flight. Interesting how the video ends with Amy Winehouse, she had an incredible voice.

[Ridgegrass]

Red, Just for the sake of discussion about royalties, (and these numbers are industry estimates at best because a lot is kept secret), download sales royalties are said to be 9 cents a song. Mechanical royalties,(airplay, streaming, etc.) are 9/10 of a penny per play. $10 album (CD) royalties are $1.50-1.80 depending on the volume of sales, (and CD sales are not a popular market like they used to be). So, its not hard to see how the artists are getting shafted by the publishers, agents, lawyers and labels who "step" on the sales every step of the way. I was no star, but I've been around the biz for almost 60 years and I've known and played next to some first string players. One associate of mine, a two time Grammy winner, used to laugh when he'd get a royalty check. Some were in the hundreds and the lowest I remember him getting was $11.00. One of the ultimate insults is, when a writer or writer/performer signs with most labels, he signs away his publishing rights, meaning he cannot even publish, or benefit from publishing his own music. Publishing royalties are a separate deal. There are stories of Hank Williams selling his songs an rights to Fred Rose of Acuff Rose Publishing for the price of a bottle.
Of course the mega guys like McCartney, Taylor Swift, etc., can cut their own deals but I really don't think Don McClean is anywhere near that level anymore. Fifty years ago artists weren't as savvy as now and many of those contracts had expiration clauses.
I read once that McCartney in his heyday was grossing $8,000 a minute on the Beatles and his personal productions. John Hartford, who wrote "Gentle On My Mind", Glen Campbell's TV show theme song, said when he hit that "home run", he never had to work another day. Those don't come every day.
Doing the math, at $.009 per play, your song has to get played a million times to net $9000, before taxes. There are many more positive and negative factors involved here but....
As the old saw goes, "Don't quit your day job." John.

[steve99f]

I've always thought it to be a tribute song to those lost in the Buddy Holley plane crash. Buddy was just one of the lost talents of that ill-fated flight. Interesting how the video ends with Amy Winehouse, she had an incredible voice.

You would think that with all the deaths of entertainers due to small aircraft crashes they would stop using them.

[Mumbleypeg]

Red, Just for the sake of discussion about royalties, (and these numbers are industry estimates at best because a lot is kept secret), download sales royalties are said to be 9 cents a song. Mechanical royalties,(airplay, streaming, etc.) are 9/10 of a penny per play. $10 album (CD) royalties are $1.50-1.80 depending on the volume of sales, (and CD sales are not a popular market like they used to be). So, it’s not hard to see how the artists are getting shafted by the publishers, agents, lawyers and labels who "step" on the sales every step of the way. I was no star, but I've been around the biz for almost 60 years and I've known and played next to some first string players. One associate of mine, a two time Grammy winner, used to laugh when he'd get a royalty check. Some were in the hundreds and the lowest I remember him getting was $11.00. One of the ultimate insults is, when a writer or writer/performer signs with most labels, he signs away his publishing rights, meaning he cannot even publish, or benefit from publishing his own music. Publishing royalties are a separate deal. There are stories of Hank Williams selling his songs an rights he to Fred Rose of Acuff Rose Publishing for the price of a bottle.
Of course the mega guys like McCartney, Taylor Swift, etc., can cut their own deals but I really don't think Don McClean is anywhere near that level anymore. Fifty years ago artists weren't as savvy as now and many of those contracts had expiration clauses.
I read once that McCartney in his heyday was grossing $8,000 a minute on the Beatles and his personal productions. John Hartford, who wrote "Gentle On My Mind", Glen Campbell's TV show theme song, said when he hit that "home run", he never had to work another day. Those don't come every day.
Doing the math, at $.009 per play, your song has to get played a million times to net $9000, before taxes. There are many more positive and negative factors involved here but....
As the old saw goes, "Don't quit your day job." John.

Thanks for that “inside baseball” perspective. I have a couple of musician friends who are somewhat popular. Although they have each recorded several CDs (they eventually started their own label https://countrystandardtime.com/d/article.asp?xid=294, which is an interesting story itself) and play somewhere nearly every weekend night, they haven’t quit their day jobs.

Apparently Don McLean was “smarter than your average bear”. Somewhere on YouTube is an interview with him where he talks about being an “outlaw” and ostracized by the record companies and industry producers because he refused to play the game. Apparently he owns the rights to American Pie including the copyright to the name. When the movie by that name was released he got a boatload of money for use of the name. The song has been covered by such luminaries as Madonna, Garth Brooks, and Bon Jovi, which I’m sure doesn’t hurt his revenue.

Ken

[Ridgegrass]

Glad for him. It's a tough biz sometimes. O'.

[OSCAR]

A weird coincidence? The less known phenomenon related to the untimely departure of musicians is “THE 27 CLUB”. Do a search online about it.
Many famous musicians (and quite a few actors) coincidentally died at the age of 27.
Just a few included are:
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Ron Mckernan, Curt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and many others. Maybe time to write another song: “The Year the Musicians Died”.
Here’s a link to get you started:
—————————————————
https://spinditty.com/artists-bands/The-dead-at-27-Club
—————————————————-

[eveled]

I always liked McLean’s song Vincent. But only recently found out it was about Van Gogh.

[Unk]

Well, dang. I thought y'all were going to explain the movie, not the song.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I've always thought it to be a tribute song to those lost in the Buddy Holley plane crash. Buddy was just one of the lost talents of that ill-fated flight. Interesting how the video ends with Amy Winehouse, she had an incredible voice.

Amy Winehouse... I'm thinking maybe she shouldn't have said "No, no, no" to rehab...

[Ridgegrass]

McLean wrote a song called "Empty Chairs". It's a beautiful and sad love song that I like and perform often. The lyrics are sad. Once, while I was singing it, a young woman started sobbing near the end. She said it was the saddest thing she'd ever heard. The line that got her was : "empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs, empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs" He is a poet. Check it out if you like sad poetry. J.O'.

[GSPTOPDOG]

A weird coincidence? The less known phenomenon related to the untimely departure of musicians is “THE 27 CLUB”. Do a search online about it.
Many famous musicians (and quite a few actors) coincidentally died at the age of 27.

There was a film a few years ago titled "The Number 27". Jim Carrey stars as a man who becomes obsessed with the 27 enigma once he reads about it in a strange book that seemingly mirrors his own life. Very creepy...

[knife7knut]

Just something I painted for a client's business.

[GSPTOPDOG]

Just something I painted for a client's business.

The levy may be dry... ... but that is AWESOME!!!!! WOW!

[doglegg]

Just something I painted for a client's business.

Great job!!! Thanks for sharing.

[New_Windsor_NY]

There.....

"the number 23"

[GSPTOPDOG]

There.....

"the number 23"

... I believe that was 1st movie... and the final movie was "the number 31"